Death Valley – Dante’s View Re-opens After Facelift

Sierra Rec Magazine – National Park Updates – May 2018 – DEATH VALLEY, CA – After four months of closure for construction, Dantes View overlook is again open to the public.

Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds states, “Dantes View is one of the most popular sites in the park, and every year over half a million people make the drive up to Dantes to see Badwater basin a mile below them! However, the site was in desperate need of stabilization and now provides a much better visitor experience.”

Located over 5,600 feet above Badwater Basin, Dantes View provides sweeping panoramic views of Death Valley. However, in the past, some visitors were not able to enjoy the view because the narrow sidewalk was crumbling in places and there was no barrier to keep people from falling off the steep mountain ridge.

This remodel added a broad flat viewing area, benches, a retaining wall to stabilize the eroding hilltop, and a wall with a railing. Artist Bridget Keimel constructed a bronze tactile map of the surrounding landscape.

The project was completed by S.T. Rhoades Construction, which also rehabilitated parking and the overlook at Zabriskie Point in 2015. Though the site’s opening is effective immediately, the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on June 6th.

The project was funded by a combination of private donations and park entrance fees. The Death Valley Natural History Association and The Fund for People in Parks have made significant contributions that were matched by federal funds to facilitate this project. “This project simply wouldn’t have happened for many years without the support of our wonderful partners. The new overlook will serve millions of visitors for many years to come,” concluded Superintendent Reynolds.